“SOMETIMES BUYERS FEEL the need to ask questions in order to show they’re serious,” says buyer’s agent and professional home hunter Breffnie O’Kelly.

But asking questions just for the sake of it, she warns, can actually have the opposite effect – making you appear to be “a nervous buyer who is trying to look like you know what you’re doing”.

So how exactly do you approach the search like a pro? Breffnie – who will be sharing her insights at the Feels Like Home event with Glenveagh Homes and TheJournal.ie in Dublin on June 20 – specialises in giving simple, actionable advice to house hunters. Her top tips for those on the trail include:

• Save time with drive-by viewings. Check out the neighbourhood and surroundings in the car before you spend a precious Saturday at an open viewing. “Summer nights, when it’s bright for so long, are a brilliant time,” she says.
• Ask estate agents about their favourite streets nearby. “They usually have a view on the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ streets” in a neighbourhood, she says, which can be an invaluable insight to someone without on-the-ground knowledge.
• Thinking of bidding? Find out if a property has been sale agreed before. “This gives the buyer a good indication of what price the vendor  is prepared to sell at,” says Breffnie. If you can find out why the previous agreement fell through, it could also surface any potential problems in a second-hand home. 

Breffnie will be offering up more great advice like this – plus how to stand out at your next viewing, how to negotiate with confidence, and where to start looking first – at Thursday June 20 at 6pm in Dublin’s Morrison Hotel.

At the Feels Like Home Event with Glenveagh Homes and TheJournal.ie, you’ll hear industry experts share their tips on how to tackle house hunting like a seasoned pro. (Plus, there’ll be wine and nibbles.) 

Tickets for the event are totally free, but registration is essential – find out more on Eventbrite right here.

On the night, you’ll hear from:

• Breffnie O’Kelly, buyer’s agent, on how to find the right home, fast – and the best way to view properties like a pro
• Adam Ferguson, commercial director of Daft.ie, on the best value places to start looking right now, according to Daft.ie market data
• Ronan McKenna, sales director of Glenveagh Homes, on the up-and-coming commuter hubs that should be top of your must-see list
• Caroline Foran, interior stylist, on how to put your own stamp on your brand new place

Plus we’ll have advice on everything from savings to approval from mortgage master Alan Sweeney of EBS. 

The night will close with an audience Q&A, and there’ll be a chance to chat face-to-face with the speakers afterwards.

The Feels Like Home Event with Glenveagh Homes and TheJournal.ie takes place on Thurs June 20 at 6pm at The Morrison, Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin 2, with wine and refreshments served on the night. Tickets are free but registration is essential – find out more on Eventbrite right here.